Day 2 of the April Countdown

I'm popping in today with a few projects featuring some of the items highlighted today on Nichole's blog for the April Papertrey Ink Countdown. She had a family emergency this month (no worries...it is all good!) and I was fortunate enough to have a few extra items in my box this month so I could pitch in with some extra blog candy. Ya'll don't mind, right? :) Who knows, you might see a hint or two about my new products coming out too this month.

First up a card featuring Betsy's new Shaker Shapes: Pencil Dies and Lexi's Pencil Me In Paper Collection. I can't get enough of that paper pad. I'll be ordering myself up a second and maybe a third! For the Shaker Shape: Pencil, I decided to keep it very simple and just created a solid, non-shaker pencil. Came together in a flash, as did the rest of this card.

As you will soon realize in a few days, I've got a thing for pencils. Especially fun patterned ones. Who doesn't really? Just seeing a pack in the dollar bin at Target releases those happy chemicals, I think. So just think of the fun you can have with patterned paper on this Shaker Shape. Large scale prints would work really well too since it's a bit on the chunky side of things.

I know we have a great many fans of the Wet Paint products. Here I used Wet Paint Cuts #3 and the Wet Paint #3 stamp set for my sentiment. I think the width and weight of the Wet Paint font matches really well with the size of the pencil lead on the die. Lots of possibility here with all the sentiments you could possibly use. And I'm a bit smitten with the doodles from Lexi's Pencil Me In Line. Super fun stuff.

Next up, a set that I will be inking up a lot, Dawn's new Lunchbox Love. I am so thrilled that Hank is reading and can benefit from a little lunchbox love himself. I made a bunch of mini notes using various sentiments. The notes are made from the Needle Book Stitching Dies (from the Quick Stitch: Sewing Staples Kit), Pencil Me In Paper Collection, and lined with Spring Moss cardstock. A two step apple from Apple Prints (great set that gets lots of use at my house) adds some color.

Great sentiments, right? Just a little bit of encouragement can mean so much on a bad day. And I really like that a lot of them can be used outside the school theme. Some of these would be very appropriate on adult encouragement cards. Goodness knows, we all have stinkers of a day and can use a little pick-me-up. I don't think we ever fully leave behind that inner kid, do you? :) And thank goodness for that!

All six fit inside a pint ice cream container. Very interesting, no?

And the pint container is covered so easily with paper? :) Get out of town!  The plaid was made by first stamping Simply Chartreuse ink on Spring Moss cardstock using Super Gingham. Using a ruler I added the red lines with a Copic and the white lines with a white gel pen. The white was done last and as you can see, it crosses over the top of all the colors. Kinda neat how that happened. The gingham pattern is completely transformed with the addition of those lines. The word "gingham" doesn't even pop into your head when looking at this. Surprised me how that happened.

If you saw a post from me last week, this project counts as #11 for my Chicken Scratch Project. I made a plaid with Super Gingham and pens...checking off that box.

A note on the plaid. I know some of you shy away from the background sets because you feel they are difficult to line up. I get that. It takes a little practice. Super Gingham is pretty easy on its own because of the wide bases, a cinch when using the Chicken Scratch Cover Plate. But, say you are trying to use it to make a background and have a little oopsies...turn it into a plaid like this instead by adding lines of color. Helps to camouflage the mistake and you can still use what you are working on.

I've got something for all you globe-o-philes. This was my very first one. FUN stuff. Every member of my household, including the hubby, seems to be fascinated by it. I used the partial die cutting technique I was recently refreshed on with a Make-It-Monday video of Laura's, to partially die cut the truck from Special Delivery and stamped it to turn it into a school bus. Fits well underneath the globe. I think I might be addicted like the rest of you.

There is some die cut letter confetti in this globe that I cut using the Shaker Shapes: Pencil. Just keeping with the school theme.

I'm thinking you could use the various style trucks from Special Delivery to make all sorts of gifts like this. These pint containers have a lot of room in them. I need to wrap up a pair of baby booties in one (with ample room to spare...throw in some socks, a binky, and travel sized diaper creme too) and  top with a globe covering the diaper delivery truck. Or have you seen those ice cream flavored and shaped marshmallows that come out this time of year for summer? Would look cute inside a container with an ice cream truck under the globe. Thinking you could use the school bus again on the last day of school and put summer themed stuff in the pint container like bubbles, candy, sun screen, ice cream money, and chalk. Maybe a jump rope? Hmmmm...excited about this.

Here's a  photo of the whole thing together. I used the Medium Scallop Border Die to cut the Pure Poppy around the lid of the container. It's wrapped also with black and white baker's twine. This gift is headed to Hank's teacher this week as a "just because". She loves to send encouraging notes home and can put the six mini-notes I created to use. I just did six in the interest of time, but you could probably fit double of that in the container without bending any.

I've also been thinking that a gift of the Lunchbox Love stamp set, an acrylic block, and an ink pad or two would make a great teacher gift as well. Who knows, maybe you'll make somebody a stamper:).

That's it for me. Looking forward to what I have to show you tomorrow! Remember, all these new products will be available on April 15th at 10 PM EST at www.papertreyink.com.

Supplies

Friends Forever Card
Stamps: Pencil Me In, Wet Paint III
Dies: Shaker Shapes: Pencil, Wet Paint Cuts III
Patterned Paper: Pencil Me In Collection, Aqua Mist Bitty Dot
Cardstock: Classic Kraft, Smokey Shadow, Berry Sorbet, Silver

Teacher Mini Note Set
Stamps: Lunchbox Love, Keep It Simple: Teacher,  Super Gingham, Special Delivery, Clipsters
Dies: Shaker Shapes: Pencil, Pint Size Wrap, Medium Scallop, Special Delivery
Cardstock: Pure Poppy, Stamper's Select White, Spring Moss, Harvest Gold
Ink: Spring Moss, Harvest Gold, True Black, Pure Poppy, Simply Chartreuse
Globe
Pint Container